MILLIONS of Britain's children are missing out on traditional family lifestyles because they spend 32 hours every week glued to electronic screens, according to a new report yesterday.

Leading parenting website MyFamilyClub is asking individuals and families to put down their smartphones, tablets and computers for 24 hours to experience life unplugged, to mark the second National Unplugging Day in the UK on Sunday 26 June.

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Parenting experts warn that digital distractions are harming relationships, stopping the young from developing face-to-face communication skills and teaching children that disappearing into digital devices for hours, is a healthy and acceptable activity.

MyFamilyClub.co.uk carried out a study with over 2,000 UK parents which has some striking statistics, finding the average parent with a smartphone, uses it more than 240 times a day - on emails, texts, chat apps and social media.

But it also shows that the majority of children are using technology for more than 4 hours either side of the school day and 6 hours per day at the weekends totalling a staggering 32 hours spend per week on technology.

More than half of the families surveyed admitted this statistic (54 per cent).

Typically parents' (73 per cent) are letting their children use their digital screens (made up of predominantly TV and then smartphone/tablet or computer) for more than an hour before they head to school in the morning (Primary and Secondary School) with parents admitting that their children's concentration levels are affected (49 per cent) and with 28 per cent admitting it was a huge problem for their children's concentration levels.

The digital usage survey also discovered that families across Britain are letting technology erode their family lives with the phenomenon of 'Phubbing' - to phone snub or ignore the person in front of you to look at your phone - taking place in their homes.

As many as 67 per cent of parents admitted they are regularly 'Phubbed' by their children but felt at a loss of what to do.

Gemma Johnson, chief executive and Founder of MyFamilyClub.co.uk said: "The more I look around the more desperate I feel that our children are losing their childhoods.

"Gone are the days it's seems of being carefree and discovering the world around them and the beauty of human interaction and connection.

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MyFamilyClub is asking individuals and families to put down their devices for 24 hours

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A study found that average parents use their smartphone 240 times a day

"Hours spent in front of a screen day in, day out is destroying not only our children's minds but also their bodies.

"When are we as parents going to take responsibility for our children's health when it comes to too much screen time, the eroding of family values which are important for children to feel safe and secure, but also their overall well-being from a mental, emotional and physical perspective.

"National Unplugging Day is just the very start of a passionate campaign to generate more awareness amongst parents to take notice of what's happening day to day but also a 'flag in the sand' to tech companies, brands and other companies that are benefiting from children overusing technology.

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Adults mostly spend their time on social media, emails and chat apps

"It's time ethics come in to play and they also take some responsibility for the damage to our young."

Leading Psychotherapist Hilda Burke said: "It is no surprise that very high digital usage in adults is reflected in children.

"However, if we adopt healthy boundaries around digital devices ie our children see us switch off our phones when guests come for dinner or when we play with them, they will learn valuable lessons about how there is a time and a place to use our devices and that it's up to us to regulate our usage."